Anxiety

Anxiety is a condition characterized by excessive nervousness, fear, or worry. Physical symptoms may include tension, a racing heart, trouble sleeping, or difficulty concentrating. It can occur independently throughout the lifespan or be triggered or worsened by hormonal changes during midlife. Inline content unavailable

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) affects 6.8 million adults or 3.1% of the U.S. population, yet only 43.2% are receiving treatment. Women are twice as likely to be affected as men, according to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America (ADAA), and often co-occurs with major depression.

According to ADAA, mental health struggles are widespread during menopause:

• Up to 70% of women experience mood swings.

• Around 45-60% suffer from depression.

• Nearly 60% report cognitive issues like brain fog.

• Sleep disturbances, which can worsen emotional well-being, affect about 50% of menopausal women.

Why it matters:

Anxiety often emerges or intensifies during the menopausal transition. It can profoundly affect mental health, daily functioning, and quality of life.

Key points include:

• Hormonal fluctuations—particularly during early perimenopause—greatly influence stress and anxiety responses

• A 2024 study found that early perimenopausal women reported significantly higher anxiety levels and stress than those in later stages—and that resilience and self‑efficacy played a key role in buffering these effects

• Anxiety during menopause is associated with poor sleep, intensified vasomotor symptoms, and can contribute to depression if left unaddressed

Monitoring anxiety enables early screening, timely intervention (e.g., CBT, mindfulness, or pharmacotherapy), and better mental and physical health outcomes during menopause.  Inline content unavailable

Advocate for Yourself

Many healthcare providers are not fully educated on menopause, which means that women experiencing symptoms like brain fog, poor sleep, weight gain, or depression may not receive proper guidance.

“They may be dismissed or prescribed antidepressants when hormone therapy or other solutions could be a better option,” according to ADAA.

In fact, while 90% of women discuss their symptoms with doctors, only 25% have menopause identified as the likely cause.